Victory is show of Nantwich Town's strength in depth - boss

Dave Walker scored his first of the season for Nantwich Town(Image: Jonathan White)

Phil Parkinson was delighted his Nantwich Town extended their unbeaten away record to 11 games despite having three key players missing.

Captain Sam Hall and fellow midfielders Sean Cooke and Matt Bell were all suspended for the trip to Corby Town on Saturday.

But he was able to call upon Tim Sanders, Wayne Riley and Theo Stair as the Dabbers looked to improve their position in the Evo-Stik Premier.

And the players got the job done as a goal in each half from Osebi Abadaki and Dave Walker earned a 2-0 win which lifted them into the top-half of the standings.

Manager Parkinson said: “I’m very happy because we have come away from home and are undefeated still in the league.

“It’s something we are trying to take a little bit of pride in, and to do that at this point in the season is great for us.

“Corby have a new management team so we knew they would be fighting for their lives – I’m sure their manager will be assessing them as I did when I first came in.

“I thought it really showed the depth of our squad. We had three key players missing but the lads who came in were superb.

“Dave Walker came off the bench to get his goal which was good to see, and overall I thought we did really well under very difficult conditions.”

He added: “I was a little disappointed it wasn’t more than 2-0, I did say that to the lads.

“I thought we played a bit better in the first half, the way we passed the ball. In the second it was scrappy, but we’ve kept a clean sheet. There are no easy games in this league.”

The Dabbers made the breakthrough when winger Osebi Abadaki received a pass from Josh Hancock, cut inside and blasted home from 25 yards.

Hancock, wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Hall, twice went close to doubling the advantage, while Danny Draper’s low shot from the edge of the box – well blocked by Curtis Jones – was the closed Corby came at the other end.

Abadaki was forced off by injury soon after the restart, and Walker entered the fray.

Nantwich keeper Dave Parton did well to save Callum Ball’s low drive from the edge of the box and Draper’s close-range volley, while Reece Webb scooped over from six yards as the second-bottom hosts began to press.

And the visitors made it 2-0 on 70 minutes when Walker scrambled home his first of the season after meeting a Sanders cross.

Parkinson reserved praise for the lively Abadaki. He said: “Whenever he wants he can tear a full back to pieces, he’s got everything.

“It’s just a mental thing with him with regards to whether he can do it continuously, but we are trying to work with him to improve him.”

Nantwich travel to face Warrington Town in the FA Trophy first qualifying round on Saturday (3pm).